Sleeping car



May 7, 1935. A, H, WOODWARD SLE'EPING CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug 10,1951 May 7, 1935. A. H. WOODWARD SLEEPING CAR Filed Aug. 10, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 JOz/enwn Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESLEEPING CAR Arthur H. Woodward, Winnetka, 111.

Application August 10,

12 Claims.

My invention relates to sleeping cars and its object is to provide animproved compartment car of the general type illustrated and describedin my copending United States patent applications, Serial No. 349,976and Serial No. 349,977, filed March 26, 1929. The objects of the presentinvention are to improve the arrangement for the comfort of thepassengers, to improve the arrangement in the matter of structuralfeatures, and to provide an arrangement whereby a variety ofaccommodations, single room or rooms en suite, is made available, forpassengers traveling alone or two, three or four passengers travelingtogether.

My present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure l is a partial plan view showing the arrangement of thelower deck of the car;

Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the upper deck, being in appropriatealignment with the corresponding plan of Figure 1, in order tofacilitate reading of the drawings;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the plane of theline 3-3 of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the plane of theline 4-4 of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is a partial central longitudinal sectional view; and

Figure 6 is a partial elevational view of the car.

The body of the car is. indicated at 8 and is divided into a series ofcompartments and an aisle as will now be described. The main floor deckis indicated at l5 and the compartments on that deck are the so calledlower compartments. Running along one side of the car is the aisle l5,of small width relative to the width of the car. The lower compartmentsare indicated at l6 and I1. They are all of substantially the same sizeand are identical except that half of them are the complement of theother half, i. e., compartment I6 is the complement of compartment l l,and the next compartment to the right is the same as compartment IS, thelength of the car thus comprising a series of pairs of compartments ordouble units. Between the compartments i6 and ll of the pair shown inFigure 1, a structural compartment I8 is formed by the dividing wallsI8, Hi, this structural compartment providing a stair well and storagespace as will be described presently. Between the pairs ofcompartments, 1. e., between the compartment I! of one pair and thecompartment l6 of the adjoining pair, the cross dividing wall l9 mayhave in it a sliding partition I! acting as a door to permitcommunication be- 1931, Serial No. 556,118

tween these compartments, In each of these lower compartments, a bed 23lies crosswise of the car against the dividing wall l3. Each of theselower compartments has two windows 2|, 2|, one at the bed 23 and one atthe floor space of the compartment, as shown. The floor space is amplefor the installation of permanent toilet facilities 22, a folding table23, and an unattached chair 24. The toilet devices 22 are preferably ofthe combination type known as chair hopper and folding washstand, inwhich the lower part is a water closet concealed in a chair and theupper part has a wash bowl mounted in the back of the chair, which ishinged so as to permit the wash bowl to be swung to a horizontalposition for use and to a vertical position when not in use. The aisleside of the car is provided with windows 25, 25 and doors 23, 23 leadfrom the aisle into the respective compartments.

A stair 21 is provided in each of the stair wells I3, leading from theaisle to the upper deck, as will further appear presently. Under thestair 21 storage spaces 23 are provided, one conveniently accessiblefrom the compartment on one side, and the other conveniently accessiblefrom the compartment on the other. It will be noted that these storagespaces 23, 23 are in overlapping or oflfset relation, consideredtransversely of the car, with the intervening partition 23a defining onewall for one storage space and one wall for the other storage space.

Over each pair of lower rooms I provide a pair of upper rooms, as shownin Figure 2. The upper deck is of multiple-stage construction, havingfloor portions 33, 33 and bed portions 34, 34, the latter portions beinghigher than the former portions to the extent of the appropriate heightof a bed. The floor portions 33 lie over the beds below, and the bedportions 33 lie over the floor portions below and the aisle. The resultis that a person may stand comfortably wherever there is open floorspace, or in the aisle, below and, at the same time, a person may standcomfortably wherever there is floor space above. The upper compartmentsare indicated at 35 and 36. They are substantially the same size and aresubstantially identical except that half of them are the complement ofthe other half, 1. e., compartment 35 is substantially the complement ofcompartment 36, and the next compartment to the right is substantiallythe same as compartment 35, the length of the car thus comprising aseries of pairs of compartments or double units. The upper pairs ofcompartments are separated by the dividingwalls 31, 31 and thecompartments of each pair are separated by the dividing-walls IO, II, asshown in Figure 2, and the dividing wall N. This wall 39 is collapsible,as shown, so that it may be folded back to throw the two compartments ofthe pair into communication. Entrance to the compartments is gained byway of the doors 0, 40 leading from the landing II at the top of thestair 21. The upper compartments, as in the case of the lowercompartments, are provided with toilet facilities 42 (also combinationtoilet units like those above described) and there is ample room for anunattached chair 43. The compartments 38 are provided with a foldingtable 44' which is available to the passengers inv both chairs 43 whenthe collapsible wall 38 is folded back.

Each of the compartments 38 and 30 is provided with a bed 45 extendingcrosswise of the car against the wall 31, this bed extending from thecar wall on one side, as shown, to a line approximately over the innerside of the aisle. The compartments 35 also have beds 40 lengthwise overthe aisle. The portion 44 of the compartments 36 over the aisle, exceptfor one which will be referred to presently, are too short for fulllength beds, in this arrangement, so that portion may be used either fora bed for a child or for storage purposes. The one exception referred tois in the end compartment 38 where, because there is no compartment 35beyond, a full length bed may be provided on the portion 44 over theaisle.

The upper compartments are provided with windows 41, at both sides ofthe car. The arrangement is such that a space is left over the aisle intransverse aligrmient with the stair, this space being indicated at 48'and being available for storage purposes if so desired.

. Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the combination toiletunits 42 in the upper compartments 35 and 38 are disposed on oppositesides of each stair well ll, between the transverse beds 46 and the sidewalls ll of said stair wells, and preferably against said side walls18'. This relation of the combination toilet units 42 is of particularadvantage because it leaves the floor space of each upper compartmentII, It entirely unobstructed adjacent to the side windows 41, wherebyall ofthis floor space at the windows can be utilized for placing theunattached chair I in any desired position. Such relation of thesecombination toilet units also has the further advantage of disposing thesupply and waste pipes where shut-off valves in the supply pipes areconveniently accessible and where the waste pipe clears certainstructural parts of the car. Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen thata pipe chase 5| extends down- .wardly from each upper toilet unit 42,the waste floor of the car in immediate proximity to the aisle I5, whichenables said waste pipe to clear the sill beam structure of the carframe. The fixed location of each toilet unit 42 in the position shownalso enables the toilet unit to be used as a convenient step for gettinginto and out of the beds 45, 46 of the upper compartments.

No more than the standard length, width and height of sleeping cars nowin vogue is required, with the arrangement of my invention, toaccommodate twenty-six adult passengers. For four passengers travelingtogether the two upper rooms at the end of the car will accommodate themen suite. For three passengers traveling together any other pair ofupper rooms will accommodate them en suite. For two passengers travelingtogether either one of the two bed rooms on the upper deck will serve ortwo single rooms, en suite, below. Single passengers can travel in anyone of the single rooms below or in any one of the one bed rooms above.

I claim:

1. In a sleeping car, a main floor and a multiple stage upper deck, anaisle and a series of compartments onsaid main floor, and a series ofcompartments on said upper deck each extending over said first namedcompartments and said aisle, wells arranged between pairs of saidcompartments on said main floor, a stair in said well leading to saidcompartments on said upper deck, beds transverse of the car in saidcompartments on said main floor, the upper stage of said upper deckextending the entire width of the car, beds transverse of the car insaid upper compartments on said upper stage of the upper deck over thefloor spaces of the compartments on said main floor, and beds in saidcompartments on said upper stage of the upper deck lengthwise of the carand over said aisle, said stair wells giving access to the transverseand longitudinal beds in said 'upper compartments through the lowerstage of said upper deck.

2. In a sleeping car, a car body having a lengthwise partition formingan aisle on one side of the car, a series of transverse partitionsforming a series of units, each unit comprising two compartmentsseparated by a well, a door leading from each of said compartments insaid lengthwise partition and doors in said transverse partitionsopposite the partitions forming said well, a multiple stage upper deckhaving its top stage extending the entire width of the car, a

stair in said well leading to said upper deck, beds in said compartmentstransverse of the car and against said transverse partitions formingsaid well, transverse partitions on said upper deck forming compartmentsin pairs on opposite sides of said well, beds in said upper compartmentsextending lengthwise of the car on said top stage of the upper deck,said stair affording access to said lengthwise beds in said uppercompartments through the lower stage of said upper deck.

3. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side of the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, amultiple-stage upper deck roofing said lower compartments, upper stagesof said upper deck extending the entire width of said car and overlyingsaid aisle and the standing room spaces in said lower compartments, bedsin said compartments, 9. pluifility of said upper compartments eachhaving a bed disposed transversely of the car and a bed disposedlengthwise of the car, said two beds lying on the top stage of saidupper deck and extending across the entire width of the car, stair wellsleading from said aisle to said upper deck at spaced intervals along thelength of the car and affording access to the transverse and lengthwisebeds of said upper compartments through the lower stage of said upperdeck, each of said stair wells communieating with a plurality oiuppercompartments, and toilet fixtures in a plurality of said uppercompartments on opposite sides of aplurality of said stair wells.

4. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side of the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, beds ina plurality of said lower compartments, a multiple-stage upper deckroofing said lower compartments and divided into upper compartments,lower stages of said upper deck overlying portions of the beds in saidlower compartments, the top stage of said deck extending the entirewidth of the car and overlying said aisle and the standing roomspaces'oi said lower compartments, a plurality of stain wells eachhaving a stair therein leading i'romsaid aisle to said upper deck atspaced-intervals along the length of the car, each oi said stair wellscommunicating with a plurality 01' said upper compartments, two beds ineach of a plurality of said upper compartments; one disposed length-.

wise of the car and the other transversely of the car, said two bedscovering substantially the entire area of said top stage from side wallto side wall of the car, said stair wells affording access to thelengthwise and transverse beds in said upper compartments through thelower stage of said upper deck, and toilet fixtures in a plurality ofsaid upper compartments disposed between the side walls of said stairwells and said transverse beds.

5. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main fioor divided into anaisle extending along one side 01 the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side 0! the body, beds ina plurality oi. saidlower compartments, a multiple-stage upper deckroofing said lower compartments and divided into upper compartments,lower stages of said upper deck overlying portions of the beds in saidlower compartments, the top stage of said upper deck extending theentire width of the car and overlying said aisle and the standing roomspaces of said lower compartments, beds in said upper compartments, aplurality of stair wells, each having a stair therein leading from saidaisle to said upper deck, at spaced points along the length of the car,each of said stair wells communicating with a plurality of said uppercompartments and affording access to the beds in said upper compartmentsthrough the lower stage of said upper deck, toilet fixtures in saidupper compartments on opposite sides of said stair wells, said toiletfixtures being permanently located in said upper compartments andserving as steps for getting into and out 01' the beds in said uppercompartments and pipe chases for pipes connecting with said upper toiletfixtures extending downwardly from said upper deck on opposite sides ofsaid stair wells.

6. In a sleeping car, a car body having a lengthwise partition formingan aisle on one side of the car, a series of transverse partitionsforming a series of lower compartments extending between said aisle andthe other side of the car, a multiple stage upper deck, a stair well,means defining storage spaces for said lower compartments substantiallyin the transverse plane of said stair well, a stair in said well betweentwo of said lower compartments and leading from said aisle to said upperdeck, partitions defining upper compartments above said upper deck, thelower stage oi. said upper deck afiording floors for said uppercompartments, two beds in each 01' a plurality oi said uppercompartments on the upper stage or said deck, one bed disposedlengthwise oi the car and the other transversely of the car, toiletfixtures in said upper compartments, and a pipe connecting with one ofsaid upper toilet fixtures and extending downwardly from said upper deckadjacent to said stair well and between said storage spaces and saidlengthwise partition.

7. In a-sle'eping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side 01' the body and a series of lowercompart-' ments between said aisle and the other side of the body, bedsin a plurality of said lower compartments, a multiple-stage upper deckroofing said lower compartments and divided into upper compartments,lower stages of said upper deck affording floors for said uppercompartments and overlying portions of said beds in said lowercompartments, and upper stages of said upper deck overlying standingroom spaces in said lower compartments, a stair well extending from saidaisle to said upper deck, beds in a plurality of said upper compartmentson upper stages of said upper deck extending lengthwise of the car andtransversely o! the car, said stair well ailording access to said bedsin the upper compartments through the lower stage-oi said upper deck,and

means defining storage spaces individual to each of two adjacent lowercompartments, with said storage spaces disposed substantially in thetransverse plane of said stair well.

8. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side 01' the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, amultiple-stage upper deck roofing said lower compartments and dividedinto upper compartments, upper stages of said upper deck overlyingstanding room spaces of said lower compartments, two beds in each of aplurality of said upper compartmentson the upper stage 01 said deck, oneextending lengthwise oi the car and the other transversely oi. the car,a stair well between two of said lower compartments and extending fromsaid aisle to said upper deck and afiording access to the beds in saidupper compartments through the lower stage of said upper deck, and meansdefining storage spaces for said two lower compartments beneath one ofthe lower stages of said upper deck and substantially in the transverseplane of said stair well.

9. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side of the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, amultiple-stage upper deck roofing said lower compartments and dividedinto upper compartments, upper'stages of said upper deck overlyingstanding room spaces of said lower compartments, beds in said uppercompartments extending longitudinally of the car and extendingtransversely of the car, a stair well leading from said aisle to saidupper deck and aflording access to said upper compartments through thelower stage of said upper deck, means defining storage spaces under one01 the lower stages of said upper deck and-substantially in thetransverse zone of said stair well, and beds in two of said lowercompartments transversely of the car and lying adjacent to said storagespaces.

l0. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side or the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, beds ina plurality of said lower compartments, a multiple-stage upper deckroofing said lower compartments and divided into upper compartments,lower stages of said deck overlying portions of the beds in said lowercompartments and upper stages thereoi' overlying standing room spaces ofsaid lower compartments, beds in a plurality or said upper compartmentsextending longitudinally of the car and transversely of the car, aplurality of stair wells each having a stair therein leading to saidupper deck and affording access to the beds in said upper compartmentsthrough the lower stage 0! said upper deck, toilet fixtures in aplurality of said upper compartments, and pipe chases for pipesconnecting with said toilet fixtures and extending downwardly from saidupper deck, said toilet fixtures and said pipe chases being disposedadjacent to said aisle.

11. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor divided into anaisle extending along one side of the body and a series of lowercompartments between said aisle and the other side of the body, amultiple-stage upper deck roofing said lower compartments, upper stagesof said upper deck extending substantially the full width of the car andoverlying standing room spaces in said lower compartments, bedsin aplurality of said upper compartments extending lengthwise andtransversely of the car, stair wells leading from said aisles to saidupper deck at spaced intervals along the length of the car, each of saidstair wells communicating with a plurality oi upper compartments andaffording access to the lengthwise and transverse beds in said uppercompartments through the lower stage of said upper deck, and toiletfixtures in a plurality of said upper compartments on opposite sides ofa plurality of said stair wells and between said stair wells and saidtransverse beds.

12. In a sleeping car, a body comprising a main floor, a near side walland a far side wall, a multiple stage upper deck and a roof, alengthwise partition adjacent to said near side wall defining an aisleextending along only one side of the car, said lengthwise partitionextending vertically from said main floor to an upper stage of saidupper deck, main fioor partitions extending transversely from saidlengthwise partition to said far side wall and defining a plurality oflower compartments, said main ,fioor partitions comprising solidpartitions and communicating partitions, beds in said lower compartmentsadjacent to said solid partitions, doors in said communicatingpartitions establishing communication between adjacent compartments,toilet fixtures in said lower compartments substantially abutting saidcommunicating partitions on opposie sides thereof and substantiallyagainst said lengthwise partition, windows in said far wall opening intosaid lower compartments, the fioor space in each of said lowercompartments including window sitting space adapted to accommodate amovable chair at the window, lower stages of said upper deck overlyingportions of the beds in said lower compartments and upper stages thereofoverlyingstanding room spaces of said lower compartments, upper deckpartitions extending transversely from side wall to side wall of the carand defining a plurality of upper compartments, said upper deckpartitions comprising solid partitions and communicating partitions,doors in said communicating partitions establishing communicationbetween adjacent upper compartments, the top stages of said upper deckin a plurality oi! said upper compartments defining bed supportingsurfaces extending the entire width of the car, beds in said lattercompartments covering said top stage from side wall to side wall of thecar, said beds including beds extending transversely of the car and bedsextending lengthwise of the car, stair wells leading from said aisle tosaid upper compartments and afiording access to the transverse andlengthwise beds in said upper compartments through the lower stage ofsaid upper deck, toilet fixtures in said upper compartments between saidstair wells and said transverse beds and substantially abutting saidlengthwise partition, and windows in said far wall opening into saidupper compartments, the floor space in each of said upper compartmentsincluding window sitting space adapted to accommodate a movable chair atthe window.

ARTHUR H. WOODWARD.

